A member of the Free State Provincial Legislature has attributed her arrest for shoplifting earrings and nail polish at Woolworths to a simple misunderstanding.

Malitaba Moleleki‚ a member of the provincial executive committee of the ANC‚ was arrested on May 28 after being observed by a CCTV operator depositing the items into her handbag at the store in Adderley Street‚ Cape Town.

 She appeared in the Community Court and was sent on a “theft intervention” diversion programme.

The 56-year-old told TMG Digital in an interview on Wednesday that she had gone shopping because she was stressed and had been distracted by an incoming phone call inside the store.

She said that she had mistakenly placed three pairs of earrings and nail polish‚ worth R259‚ into her handbag along with her cell phone after the call ended.

 “I was stressed so I decided to go shopping. I had the stuff in my hand and I answered my phone. Then I saw the men’s shirt sales. I took four shirts in my other hand and didn’t have a basket‚” she explained.

 “When I finished I put the phone back in my bag but didn’t realise I still had the other items‚” she said.

Earlier this week police stated that the incident was captured via the stores CCTV cameras.

“According to the CCTV Operator the woman took earrings and concealed them in her white pullover pocket after removing the packaging‚” said a police statement.

“She then proceeded to the cosmetics department where she took nail polish‚ removed the price tag‚ the packaging and concealed the item in her handbag. The woman then took a packet of cashew nuts‚ went to the till point and paid for the nuts only‚” said the statement.

Upon searching Moleleki‚ the items were retrieved.

 Moleleki‚ who sounded emotional on the phone‚ said she had tried to explain to the Woolworths employees that it was a mistake and had asked them to forgive her.

“I told them about the phone call and asked for forgiveness. They refused to take my money. I bought four shirts worth R1‚500 and food from there. I asked them why I would need to steal this if I had already spent so much money while shopping there‚” she said.

 TMG digital noted fundamental errors on some of the official documents processed by police‚ which included a community court charge sheet and the warning to appear in court.

Moleleki was identified as “Malitaba Moleleti” on the documents and was initially marked as male on the community court charge sheet but female on a document warning her to appear in court.

Regional spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority‚ Eric Ntabazalila‚ said that after appearing in court‚ Moleleki was assessed by a social worker from Khulisa Social Solutions.

 “The accused was found to be suitable for a diversion programme and she attended/took part in an intervention referred to by Khulisa as ‘Individual Breakthrough’ (theft intervention)‚” he said.

 “The matter was subsequently withdrawn by the prosecutor as a diversion‚” Ntabazalila added.

In an attempt to emphasise that it was a misunderstanding‚ Moleleki said that when she “told the court everything‚ they understood all of it”.

“I also told them that this has never happened to me before‚ then they sent the social worker to come see me‚ then they withdrew the case.”

Moleleki‚ who regularly posts inspirational and religious messages on Facebook and qualifies for a salary of close to R1 million per annum as a member of the legislature‚ said that she was a “god fearing woman” and was “sorry for the mistake”. - TMG Digital